tkinter runs a busy-wait loop on interactive Python
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Description
Bug report
Bug description:
In EventHook in Modules/_tkinter.c, we used to have the following block to run the event loop:
#if defined(WITH_THREAD) || defined(MS_WINDOWS)
Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
if(tcl_lock)PyThread_acquire_lock(tcl_lock, 1);
tcl_tstate = event_tstate;
result = Tcl_DoOneEvent(TCL_DONT_WAIT);
tcl_tstate = NULL;
if(tcl_lock)PyThread_release_lock(tcl_lock);
if (result == 0)
Sleep(Tkinter_busywaitinterval);
Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
#else
result = Tcl_DoOneEvent(0);
#endif
in bpo-31370, support for threads-less builds was removed, and this block became
Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
if(tcl_lock)PyThread_acquire_lock(tcl_lock, 1);
tcl_tstate = event_tstate;
result = Tcl_DoOneEvent(TCL_DONT_WAIT);
tcl_tstate = NULL;
if(tcl_lock)PyThread_release_lock(tcl_lock);
if (result == 0)
Sleep(Tkinter_busywaitinterval);
Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
This is a bit unfortunate, as we now back to running a busy-wait loop. See Guido van Rossum's comment of May 23, 1998: 7bf15648
I guess this block could be
if (self->threaded) {
/* Allow other Python threads to run. */
ENTER_TCL
result = Tcl_DoOneEvent(0);
LEAVE_TCL
}
else {
Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
if(tcl_lock)PyThread_acquire_lock(tcl_lock, 1);
tcl_tstate = tstate;
result = Tcl_DoOneEvent(TCL_DONT_WAIT);
tcl_tstate = NULL;
if(tcl_lock)PyThread_release_lock(tcl_lock);
if (result == 0)
Sleep(Tkinter_busywaitinterval);
Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
}
in analogy with the event loop in _tkinter_tkapp_mainloop_impl. As self->threaded is true in most builds, this would avoid the busy-wait loop.
I am happy to submit a PR, but I'll wait until PR #140147 is in to avoid unnecessary complications to this code.
CPython versions tested on:
CPython main branch
Operating systems tested on:
macOS
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Research direction
Start in Modules/_tkinter.c at EventHook and compare its event-loop block with _tkinter_tkapp_mainloop_impl. Check PR #140147 before changing this code. Done means interactive Python avoids the busy-wait loop in threaded builds while preserving the shown non-threaded behavior.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- c, python
- Domain
- desktop
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 55/100